Have your say! City holding public meeting in support of SC Johnson

Residents can have their say about a rezoning issue that has put into question the future of SC Johnson’s Brantford facility.

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City officials are inviting people to voice their opinions at a special committee of the whole meeting on Oct. 17.

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The meeting begins at 6 pm and is being held in the Brantford City Hall council chambers, 58 Dalhousie St. It will be held in a public open house format and those attending in person to speak need not register in advance, city officials say.

However, those who want to attend virtually are required to register by e-mailing [email protected] or visiting the city council calendar page at https://calendar.brantford.ca/meetings.

City officials say the meeting is not a statutory hearing to reconsider a zoning application. Rather it is an opportunity for residents to voice their opinion.

Residents can also send letters or comments to [email protected] by Oct. 31.

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All public feedback received to date and until October 31, 2023, through various ways to interact
with the City, will be collected and consolidated into a Clerks Report on Communications and
sent to the OLT by the City Clerk for their consideration in context with a decision related to the
rezoning of the private property at 58 Morrell Street.

At issue is a plan by Rosart Bucci Group to construct a 156-unit residential development at 58 Morrell St. The property, purchased by Rosart Bucci Group in 2021, is currently zoned industrial and adjacent to SC Johnson’s Webster Street facility.

A decision on the rezoning application was deferred to allow SC Johnson and the developer to explore alternative solutions. But when the 120-day period elapsed, the developer bypassed the planning committee and city council and took the matter to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT).

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The tribunal adjudicates land use disputes and a hearing is expected to be held sometime in 2024.

A facilitator has the ability to bring about a resolution outside the traditional planning process. City council has said that it would not have approved the rezoning application if it had been brought to them before being sent to the tribunal.

Public input received by the city so far and until Oct. 31 will be collected and put into a report that will be sent by the clerk’s office to the land tribunal for its consideration prior to a tribunal decision on the rezoning application.

City councilors at a Sept. 26 meeting unanimously approved a motion in support of SC Johnson and their concerns about the potential rezoning of the privately purchased property.

SC Johnson is one of North America’s oldest family-owned businesses and has had a facility in Brantford for more than 100 years. The company is well-known and respected for its philanthropy, volunteerism and corporate citizenship.

The company has contributed more than $34 million towards various community projects over the past two decades including the Brant Community Health Care System, the SC Johnson Trail, and the SC Johnson Community Centre.

[email protected]

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